Chevy Orlando photos spill on Web ahead of Paris show

September 25, 2008

Photos of another concept headed for Paris have been leaked online, and this time the victim is General Motors and its Chevrolet Orlando compact crossover. Discovered at Auto55, the photos appear to have been taken at a GM photo shoot for the new vehicle, possibly making them official images. GM already released renderings of the vehicle a little over a week ago, but this is the first time we've seen photos of the actual Orlando concept in the sheetmetal.

What surprises us most about these Orlando photos is how production-ready it looks. Take away a few of the irregularities (such as the solar panel-esque roof) and we're left with a car that looks like it's almost ready for prime time. The interior seems especially ready to go, lacking much of the pizzazz and styling flair that would firmly place it in "concept-only" status. We're also seeing quite a bit of Volt influence, especially in the eye-catching blue exterior accent lighting.

The seven-seat, three-row Chevy Orlando is based on the same Delta II platform that will underpin the Cruze, with a 150-hp, 236 lb-ft 2.0L turbodiesel engine under the hood. Our only warning is that you might not want to become too smitten with the Orlando just yet. Despite its production-ready appearance, reports claim the Orlando will not be coming to the U.S. -- if it makes it to production at all. If the Orlando does see the light of day, it will likely only be sold in Europe.

Meanwhile, we'll still be bringing you live photos of the Chevrolet Orlando from the Paris motor show floor next week. And while you're waiting for those, feel free to sound off on the Orlando's styling and whether GM is making a huge mistake by not bringing its stylish, oil-sipping CUV to our shores.